The Authors Stradivarius

Charles Beare obe studied violin making at the Mittenwald School in The name Stradivarius has long evoked the idea of creative genius.
1958–59, and studied in New York at the invitation of the leading expert Antonio Stradivari (c.1644–1737) is the creator of the classic model and his
Rembert Wurlitzer at the beginning of 1960. There, he received training in craft celebrates intrinsic beauty and powerful melody.
the art of restoration under Simone Fernando Sacconi, and at the same The Ashmolean exhibition will, surprisingly, be the first major showing
time had the opportunity to study more than a hundred instruments by of his work in Britain. In every case, the twenty-one instruments discussed
Antonio Stradivari. After returning to the UK in 1961, Charles took charge are the finest and most beautiful of their kind.
of the workshop, and in due course the running of the family business This book makes a landmark contribution to the existing literature on
which had begun in 1892 and went onto become the leading house of its Stradivari and provides an insight into the Stradivari vision through the
kind in London, specialising in fine instruments. turbulent tales and examination of the mysterious qualities that
Charles chaired the Scientific Committee for the exhibition in Cremona contribute to the immortal reputation enjoyed by Stradivari’s instruments
which celebrated the 250th anniversary of Antonio Stradivari’s death in among players and audiences across the world. With a foreword by
1987. In the following year he was awarded Honorary Citzenship of the City. virtuoso violinist and Stradivarius player, James Ehnes, the catalogue also

charles beare peter beare carlo chiesa jon whiteley

features essays by world-renowned luthier and expert, Charles Beare obe;
Peter Beare studied violin making in Salt Lake City and since then has his son, Peter Beare; the luthier and violin historian, Carlo Chiesa; and
worked as a maker and restorer of stringed instruments with J & A Beare Dr Jon Whiteley of the Ashmolean Museum.
Ltd in London, Etienne Vatelot in Paris, Premysl and Jan Spidlen in Prague, New catalogue entries record the fascinating stories of the instruments’
and Carl Becker in Wisconsin. He now concentrates on making new provenance and the details of their manufacture. Fresh photography has
instruments in rural Kent. been completed by Tucker Densley with an expertise that is familiar
throughout the violin world.
Carlo Chiesa was born in Milan in 1962. He graduated from the Scuola di
Liuteria in Milan and studied history and philosophy at the Catholic
University. A few years later, he opened his own workshop, where he makes
violins, violas, ’cellos, and viols. He is particularly interested in making
and setting up Baroque instruments. In 2003 he was appointed conservator
of stringed instruments at the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory in Milan.

Dr Jon Whiteley has been Assistant Keeper of Western Art at the

Ashmolean Museum since 1977, and is currently Senior Curator of
European Art, specialising in French and British paintings and drawings,
and with curatorial responsibility for the Museum’s collection of musical
instruments. His publications include Ingres (1976), Sixteenth-Century
French Ornament Drawings in the Ashmolean (1996), and a complete
catalogue of French Drawings in the Ashmolean (2000). He curated the
exhibition, Claude Lorrain: Drawings from the Collections of the British
Museum and the Ashmolean Museum held at the British Museum and
Ashmolean in 1998; and the major exhibition, Claude Lorrain: the
Enchanted Landscape held at the Ashmolean and the Städel Museum,
Frankfurt in 2011–12. He is at present preparing a catalogue of the later
French paintings in the Ashmolean.

front jacket 1683 The ‘Cipriani Potter’ Violin back jacket 1716 ‘Le Messie’ Violin
Stradivarius pp001-047 v7_SF_Layout 1 22/05/13 17.05 Pagina 44

Fig. 30 Original neck of The ‘Lady Blunt’ of 1721 Fig. 31 Original neck of The ‘Lady Blunt’ of 1721

In figs 30 and 31 you can see the pieces of wood added at the end of the neck and also
between the neck heel and button on the back of the ‘Lady Blunt’ in order to suit the
modern fingerboard and set-up. This photo also shows staining from three nails that
originally helped secure the neck in place and an interesting view of the well-preserved
button and its chamfer.
The purity of condition of the instruments exhibited here offers a unique chance for
inquisitive violinmakers to observe details of Stradivari’s workmanship, such as how he
handled his edgework and the chamfer of the scroll, which are harder to discern on the
majority of his instruments that have been subject to greater ravages of time and wear.
There is no doubting the attraction of the beautiful wear patterns one sees in the varnish of
early Cremonese instruments, and makers ever since have been tempted to copy this
feature by ‘antiquing’ the varnish of their own instruments in order to make them more
attractive to players. However, to those who are more familiar with the great Cremonese
and other instruments, it is far more exciting to come across a pure, unworn example. The
varnish of ‘Le Messie’ and the ‘Lady Blunt’ are in particularly mint condition and it is
opposite
interesting to note that even in the nineteenth century the great French maker Jean-Baptiste 1721 The ‘Lady Blunt’
Vuillaume found it hard to sell new-looking instruments until after he had brought ‘Le Messie’ overleaf
to Paris. Perhaps this exhibition will once again inspire makers and players alike further to View of Cremona from
The present state of all
appreciate instruments made the way they would have been in the time of Stradivari. the countries and
nations of the world ...
Volume XIX by
Note: The ms numbers refer to the numbering system of the Museo Stradivariano in Cremona. Thomaso Salmon, 1751

44 stradivari’s tools and designs

Stradivarius pp001-047 v7_SF_Layout 1 22/05/13 17.06 Pagina 45
Stradivarius pp048-224 v7_SF_Layout 1 22/05/13 17.25 Pagina 64
Stradivarius pp048-224 v7_SF_Layout 1 21/05/13 11.44 Pagina 65

Front arch

Back arch

Paste inlay on lower ribs; modern endpin

Stradivarius pp048-224 v7_SF_Layout 1 22/05/13 16.55 Pagina 204
Stradivarius pp048-224 v7_SF_Layout 1 22/05/13 16.59 Pagina 205

Original bass bar

Underside view of the original fingerboard

Side view of the original fingerboard

Detail of the button at the top of the back View of original neck showing staining from nails
used to secure it in place

Detail of purfling and locating pin at the lower end of the back Above view of the scroll

205
The Authors Stradivarius
Charles Beare obe studied violin making at the Mittenwald School in The name Stradivarius has long evoked the idea of creative genius.
1958–59, and studied in New York at the invitation of the leading expert Antonio Stradivari (c.1644–1737) is the creator of the classic model and his
Rembert Wurlitzer at the beginning of 1960. There, he received training in craft celebrates intrinsic beauty and powerful melody.
the art of restoration under Simone Fernando Sacconi, and at the same The Ashmolean exhibition will, surprisingly, be the first major showing
time had the opportunity to study more than a hundred instruments by of his work in Britain. In every case, the twenty-one instruments discussed
Antonio Stradivari. After returning to the UK in 1961, Charles took charge are the finest and most beautiful of their kind.
of the workshop, and in due course the running of the family business This book makes a landmark contribution to the existing literature on
which had begun in 1892 and went onto become the leading house of its Stradivari and provides an insight into the Stradivari vision through the
kind in London, specialising in fine instruments. turbulent tales and examination of the mysterious qualities that
Charles chaired the Scientific Committee for the exhibition in Cremona contribute to the immortal reputation enjoyed by Stradivari’s instruments
which celebrated the 250th anniversary of Antonio Stradivari’s death in among players and audiences across the world. With a foreword by
1987. In the following year he was awarded Honorary Citzenship of the City. virtuoso violinist and Stradivarius player, James Ehnes, the catalogue also

charles beare peter beare carlo chiesa jon whiteley

features essays by world-renowned luthier and expert, Charles Beare obe;
Peter Beare studied violin making in Salt Lake City and since then has his son, Peter Beare; the luthier and violin historian, Carlo Chiesa; and
worked as a maker and restorer of stringed instruments with J & A Beare Dr Jon Whiteley of the Ashmolean Museum.
Ltd in London, Etienne Vatelot in Paris, Premysl and Jan Spidlen in Prague, New catalogue entries record the fascinating stories of the instruments’
and Carl Becker in Wisconsin. He now concentrates on making new provenance and the details of their manufacture. Fresh photography has
instruments in rural Kent. been completed by Tucker Densley with an expertise that is familiar
throughout the violin world.
Carlo Chiesa was born in Milan in 1962. He graduated from the Scuola di
Liuteria in Milan and studied history and philosophy at the Catholic
University. A few years later, he opened his own workshop, where he makes
violins, violas, ’cellos, and viols. He is particularly interested in making
and setting up Baroque instruments. In 2003 he was appointed conservator
of stringed instruments at the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory in Milan.

Dr Jon Whiteley has been Assistant Keeper of Western Art at the

Ashmolean Museum since 1977, and is currently Senior Curator of
European Art, specialising in French and British paintings and drawings,
and with curatorial responsibility for the Museum’s collection of musical
instruments. His publications include Ingres (1976), Sixteenth-Century
French Ornament Drawings in the Ashmolean (1996), and a complete
catalogue of French Drawings in the Ashmolean (2000). He curated the
exhibition, Claude Lorrain: Drawings from the Collections of the British
Museum and the Ashmolean Museum held at the British Museum and
Ashmolean in 1998; and the major exhibition, Claude Lorrain: the
Enchanted Landscape held at the Ashmolean and the Städel Museum,
Frankfurt in 2011–12. He is at present preparing a catalogue of the later
French paintings in the Ashmolean.

front jacket 1683 The ‘Cipriani Potter’ Violin back jacket 1716 ‘Le Messie’ Violin